President Trump's reversals in first 100 Days

by Michelle Macaluso

President Donald Trump picks up a baby as he greets people after arriving on Air Force One at General Mitchell International Airport in Milwaukee, Tuesday, April 18, 2017. Trump is heading to Kenosha, Wis., to visit the headquarters of tool manufacturer Snap-on Inc., and sign an executive order that seeks to make changes to a visa program that brings in high-skilled workers. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh)

The end of President Trump’s first 100 days is fast approaching, and the President has reversed course on some key issues that he announced during the presidential campaign.

“It’s quite normal for presidents once they have the responsibility of governing to realize you can’t just fulfill everything they said in the campaign,” said Allan Lichtman, author of The Case for Impeachment.

During the 2016 presidential campaign, President Trump attacked China labeling the country as “currency manipulators” and called the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) “obsolete”. But in the last few weeks, Mr. Trump has shifted his policy stances and no longer believes his prior statements.

White House Press Secretary, Sean Spicer argued that is NATO is evolving towards the President Trump’s position and Trump is not flip-flopping.

“NATO is moving in the direction that he thought was good. Number one, their focus on terrorism was becoming a greater focus, that was helpful,” Spicer said. “More countries in NATO are living up to their financial commitments.”

One of President Trump’s most evident policy changes is toward Syria. Previously, Mr. Trump argued against U-S military action in the region, but in early April, the President fired 59 Tomahawk missiles at an Syrian regime air base, in retaliation for chemical weapons attacks that killed dozens of civilians.

“Donald Trump has gone far beyond the norm. We’ve never seen an American president before, so far this early, so fundamentally contradict almost everything he said on the campaign.”

President Trump’s evolving policies are not just unique to him. Once in the Oval Office, every president abandons certain pledges made on the campaign trail.

President Obama opposed same-sex marriage when he ran for president in 2008, then he came out in support of same-sex marriage in 20-12 when he ran for re-election.

But Alan Lichtman says President Trump is a very different case.

“He’s done it so quickly. Such a dramatic turnabout. He’s done it on so many issues, not just one or two, like other presidents. And he’s done it in a way that challenges the fundamental appeal of his campaign,” said Lichtman.

A new Rasmussen poll out on Monday found that President Trump’s approval rating jumped to 50%. But President Trump has had the lowest approval ratings than any prior president in their first weeks in office.